What do Biotech companies do when they aren't making vaccines?

BioNTech. Moderna. Johnson & Johnson. These three big shot names have been circulating in the news a lot recently due to their new development of the Covid-19 vaccine. If not for the production of the vaccine, most people wouldn’t even know about the other fascinating research happening in these companies or about the research that has been done here. In fact, one of these companies creates baby products (more on this in the article)! It would be beneficial to learn about the other important contributions these companies made to our society.

BioNTech

BioNTech is a German biotechnology company based in Mainz. They develop and manufacture immunotherapies for patient-specific treatments for diseases using mRNA encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles. In 2020, BioNTech partnered with Pfizer to create the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine which offers a 90% effective rate (More about the mRNA vaccine can be found in a different article on our website). Some other research being conducted by BioNTech include:

1. Creating individualized cancer medicine based on the patient’s tumor DNA

2. mRNA Therapeutics

   1. Also collaborated with Pfizer and Genevant to treat influenza and other rare diseases

3. Engineered cell therapy

4. Antibodies

5. Small Molecule Immunomodulators

Moderna

Moderna is an American biotechnological and pharmaceutical company based in Cambridge Massachusetts. It focuses on drug discovery, drug development, and vaccine development based on mRNA. Founded in 2010, the company focused on stem cell research. In 2013, Moderna and AstraZeneca partnered to develop and commercialize mRNA for treatments in therapeutics for cardiovascular, metabolic, renal diseases, and cancers.

Johnson & Johnson

Founded in 1886, Johnson & Johnson is an American corporation that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products. Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine uses DNA and it is 85% effective. Some of their well known products include Band-aids, Tylenol medication, Johnson’s Baby products, Neutrogena skin care products, Clean & Clear facial wash, and Acuvue contact lenses. Johnson & Johnson bought Janssen Pharmaceutical (Belgium based biotech company) in 1961 which conducts research on mental illness, HIV, neurological disorders, analgesia, allergies, and cancers.

Works Cited

Gelles, David. “The Husband-and-Wife Team Behind the Leading Vaccine to Solve Covid-19.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Nov. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/business/biontech-covid-vaccine.html.

“Home Page.” Moderna, Inc., www.modernatx.com/.

“Latest News.” Content Lab U.S., www.jnj.com/latest-news.

“We Aspire to Individualize Cancer Medicine.” BioNTech, biontech.de/.